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Move Microsoft Store Apps to Another Drive in Windows 11

Richard

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The article provides instructions on how to move apps from the Microsoft Store to another drive in Windows 11. The process involves opening the Settings app, navigating to the Apps & Features settings, selecting the desired app, and using the Move command to specify a new drive location. This helps free up system storage space.

This article describes the steps to move apps installed from the Microsoft Store to another drive on Windows 11.

There are two main types of apps one can install in Windows. Apps from the Microsoft Store and standalone apps that are packaged with their installers, typically from third-party vendors.

Apps from the Microsoft Store can be moved between drives. Transferring apps to a larger drive can help free up space when your system storage is low.

The apps you download and install from the Microsoft Store are saved on the “Windows (C:)” drive within the %ProgramFiles%\WindowsApps and %LocalAppData%\Packages folders by default.

You can relocate Microsoft Store app packages to any internal or external NTFS drive, including SD cards and USB drives.

How to move apps to another drive on Windows 11

Apps from the Microsoft Store can be moved to different drives. Transferring apps to a larger drive helps reclaim storage space when your system is low on space.

Here’s how to do that in Windows 11.

First, open the Windows Settings app.

You can do that by clicking on the Start menu and selecting Settings. You can also use the keyboard shortcut ( Windows key + I ).

windows 11 new settings button
windows 11 new settings button

When the Settings app opens, click the Apps button on the left.

windows 11 settings apps on menu
Windows 11 settings apps on the menu

On the right, click Apps & features tile to expand.

windows 11 apps and features tile
Windows 11 apps and features tile

On the Apps -> Apps & features settings pane, locate the Windows Store app you want to move to another storage drive.

Then click on the app’s options menu ( 3 vertical dots ) and select Move.

windows 11 app move command to another drive
Windows 11 app Move command to another drive.

When you click the Move command, a pop-up window will notify you that the app is currently installed on Windows (C:).

Choose the drive you want to move to the app to. Then, select the drive, and click the Move button.

windows 11 app move command to another drive select location
windows 11 app Move command to another select drive location

The app will be moved to the drive you specified. Two new folders WindowsApps and WpSystem, will be created at the root of the drive you specified.

windows 11 store app moved to another drive
windows 11 store app moved to another drive

That should do it!

Conclusion:

  • Moving Microsoft Store apps from one drive to another in Windows 11 can effectively reclaim free space on the system storage.
  • The process involves accessing the Windows Settings app, navigating to the Apps & features settings pane, and selecting the app to be moved.
  • After choosing the new storage drive, the app will be relocated, creating two new folders at the root of the specified drive: WindowsApps and WpSystem.

This method offers a practical solution for users running low on system storage, allowing them to optimize the space allocation for Microsoft Store apps.

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Richard Avatar
Richard
Richard, the owner and lead writer at Geek Rewind, is a tech enthusiast passionate about simplifying complex IT topics. His years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations have honed his ability to provide practical insights and solutions. Richard aims to make technology more accessible and actionable. He’s deeply committed to the Geek Rewind community, always ready to answer questions and engage in discussions. He enjoys watching football, cheering for the Minnesota Vikings, and spending time with his family when he’s not writing or managing Geek Rewind.

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One response to “Move Microsoft Store Apps to Another Drive in Windows 11”

  1. Disable App Installations on Non-System Drives in Windows 11 - Geek Rewind

    […] from the Microsoft Store are installed on the C: drive of the Windows system. Users can choose to move apps already installed from the Microsoft Store to a different internal or external local drive if they […]

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